


A Better Happy Ending

by swinggal138



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: BAMF Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Developing Relationship, F/M, Mild Language, Romance Novel, Sexy Times, stan lee appearance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-16
Updated: 2014-10-15
Packaged: 2018-02-21 08:32:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 21,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2461682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swinggal138/pseuds/swinggal138
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After going through rehab and returning to a regular job, Bucky meets a writer who turns his world around. Meanwhile, Steve meets the woman of his dreams. But can he convince her that he likes her for who she is and not how similar she is to a girl he loved in the past?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Introduction

Tanya Grey strolled down the street, her heart heavy with another rejection. She wasn’t expecting this one; this guy had seemed so promising. But such was her life. She needed a few drinks, strong ones. But the social atmosphere of the bar was a repulsive idea to her at the moment. A light rain began to fall as she walked and she ducked under an overhang to stay dry. As she waited out the mist, she noticed some glowing neon signs behind her; she was standing in front of a bar. A quick glance in the window told her they were open but basically deserted with the only patron being the man she recognized as the neighborhood drunk. Deciding she could handle such a crowd, Tanya strolled inside.  
                It was dim inside, with a jukebox playing lazily in the corner as the television droned with the latest sports plays. An old man sat in an armchair in the corner, watching the game and dozing. The drunk sipped on his whiskey. Behind the bar stood a younger bartender. He had striking green eyes and shaggy brown hair that occasionally let a few strands fall haphazardly in his face. The green v-neck t-shirt he wore made his eyes stand out even more and his jeans fell almost lazily around his middle. He looked like any average bartender, except for his left arm which seemed to be made of metal. Tanya glanced at the arm for a moment, wondering the story behind it, before directing her attention to the man himself as she seated herself on one of the black bar stools.  
                “You look like hell,” the bartender said, looking up from where he was washing a glass.  
                “Gee thanks.”  
                “Sorry. What can I get you tonight?”  
                “Whiskey, neat.”  
                The bartender, looking impressed at her order, poured her a glass and slid it down to her. She took it in one gulp and slid the glass back to him. He refilled it and slid it back. She repeated the process once more, deciding to finally just sip on the third one, her head already beginning to buzz.  
                “You want to talk about it?” the bartender asked cautiously.  
                “To a stranger?”  
                “I’m a bartender. Automatically makes me not a stranger. But, if it helps,” he said, extending his hand, “I’m James Barnes. But my friends usually call me Bucky.”  
                “Nice to meet you, Bucky,” Tanya replied, shaking his hand, “I’m Tanya Grey.”  
                “So, Tanya, what happened?”  
                “Oh, typical story. Typical for me anyway. I got rejected by yet another guy.”  
                “I’m sorry to hear that.”  
                “Yeah. He seemed so perfect too. We met at a bar, spent the whole night talking, then making out. And he even told me he didn’t want to sleep with me that night because he wanted to do things right. Said he wanted to date me. So, we texted for awhile, then, suddenly he told me to stop because he started seeing someone else.”  
                “Well, shit,” Bucky replied, pouring her some more whiskey and taking a shot of it himself, “sorry that happened to you. Guy sounds like a tool to me.”          
                “Yeah, I guess. But, like I said, typical story for me. I like guy…guy rejects me.”  
                “Well, guys can be idiots.”  
                “Yes they can. Present company excluded of course.”  
                “No, trust me. I have done many idiotic things in my life…many beyond idiotic really.”  
                Tanya raised her eyebrow, waiting for him to go on. But he just shook his head as if clearing an unwanted memory from his brain.  
                “Anyway, you got a ride home?”  
                “No, but I live a few blocks from here so I’m fine.”  
                “Okay…in that case…I’ll keep ‘em coming. It’s nice to meet you Tanya.”  
                “Likewise…James.”


	2. The Writer Returns

A few nights later, Tanya headed back to the little bar, whose name she found out was The Bay. Once again, Bucky was behind the bar, the drunk was on his stool, and the owner was in his chair. Tanya sat down on a stool and set down the notebook she was carrying under her arm. Bucky smiled at her and poured her a glass of whiskey. Gratefully, she accepted it and pulled out a pen, beginning to write feverishly, occasionally staring into the blank space in front of her as she searched for her next word. After about an hour of furious scribbling and three whiskeys, Bucky’s curiosity got the better of him so he interrupted her writing, saying,  
“Working on homework?”  
Tanya slowly raised her head, her eyes taking a moment to recognize exactly where she was.  
“Oh...no,” she finally replied, “I’m a...uh...writer actually. I’m working on my next novel.”  
“What kind of novels do you write?”  
“Romance. And yes, before you ask or laugh, yes those kind.”  
Bucky just gave her a confused look,  
“I don’t really know what you mean.”  
“Oh...never mind then.”  
“So, what’s the novel about?”  
“Actually about the recent guy I told you about. See, I have been rejected by so many guys that I decided to turn it into something positive. So, whenever a guy rejects me, I turn it into a novel and give it a happy ending.”  
“You must be exaggerating. There is no way you have been rejected by that many guys.”  
“Eighteen. So far.”  
Bucky looked at her with surprised eyes.  
“But...you’re so beautiful...and interesting...”  
Tanya blushed as Bucky quickly changed the subject, realizing what he said.  
“So, do you often do your writing in bars?”  
“Sometimes. I find booze plus the environment inspiring.”  
Bucky nodded his head before turning to the drunk to pour him another drink.  
“So,” Bucky said, turning back to her, “I don’t really mean to pry but...have you ever had a boyfriend?”  
“No...well...kind of...it’s complicated. I mean, I’m not inexperienced if that’s what you’re implying.”  
“I’m not implying anything. I was just curious.”  
Bucky and Tanya shared an awkward silence before he returned to washing glasses while she returned to writing. Two more whiskeys later, Tanya closed her notebook and paid her tab. With a promise to be back soon, she vanished out the door.


	3. Peggy?

About a week later, Tanya walked back into the bar, this time not alone. With her was a girl, about her age, with wavy brown hair and wearing a vintage 1940s red dress. The two girls sat down at the bar and Bucky approached them, greeting Tanya with a smile. She introduced her best friend and roommate, Olivia Maxwell; Bucky shook her hand before turning to Tanya once again,  
                “The usual?”  
                “Absolutely.”  
                “And for you?” he asked Olivia.  
                “I’ll take an old-fashioned.”  
                Bucky nodded, a smirk on his face in appreciation of her order. Moments later, the girls were happily sipping on their drinks, chatting about their weeks. It wasn’t often they got to have nights out together. Tanya was usually writing up a storm and, when she wasn’t, Olivia was usually busy with her photo shoots as a pin-up model. When they did get the chance to spend time together, they definitely made the most of it.  
                Once Bucky had served the two other patrons in the bar, he came over to chat with the girls a bit, focusing his attention mostly on Tanya. As she told him some updates on the progress of her book, Olivia turned her stool, looking behind the bar at what all they had to offer. Suddenly, a voice interrupted her observations,  
                “Peggy?”  
                Olivia turned to discover the owner of the voice was the man sitting a few seats down from her. Although she had noted him when they came in, she hadn’t really gotten a good look at him. He was classically handsome with perfectly styled blonde hair, stormy blue eyes, and a quite toned body which was accented by the plain white t-shirt and jeans he was wearing. Remembering he had asked her something, she replied,  
                “I’m sorry?”  
                The look on the man’s face subtly sank a bit as he got a good look at the attractive woman seated down the bar from him.  
                “I’m sorry…you…um…just looked like someone I…know.”  
                “Oh…well…sorry to disappoint?”  
                “No…no…just a misunderstanding. Sorry. I’m Steve by the way,” he said, extending his hand, “Steve Rogers.”  
                “Olivia Maxwell.”  
                “If it’s not too forward to say, you look lovely in that dress.”  
                “Thank you. I just got done with a photo shoot actually and didn’t have time to change.”  
                “Photo shoot?”  
                “Yes, I’m a pin-up model. Well, usually. This photo shoot was more vintage than pin-up I guess. It was for a perfume ad.”  
                “That’s neat.”  
                “What do you do?” Olivia inquired, deciding to scoot over a couple seats.  
                “Well…I guess you could say I work for the government?”  
                “That’s cool. You’re like an FBI Agent?”  
                “Something like that.”  
                “That sounds like a really interesting job.”  
                “It has its moments.”  
                Olivia smiled as Bucky came over to pour them each another drink. Olivia kept talking to Steve for the remainder of the time at the bar as Tanya continued her conversation with Bucky. Eventually Steve decided he had to leave since it was getting quite late. He waved goodbye to Bucky, who was clearly a very close friend of his, and headed out the door. The girls ordered one more round and continued chatting for awhile longer. They then paid their tab and headed out the door, Tanya already asking Olivia about the guy she was talking to.


	4. A Connection Is Formed

A few days later, Olivia wandered into The Bay alone. Steve was seated on the barstool, chatting with Bucky when the sound of the opening door drew their attention. They both smiled at her and Steve couldn’t help but appreciate the vintage khaki dress she was wearing. Approaching the bar, Olivia shyly asked,  
                “Hey, has Tanya been here today?”  
                “No,” Bucky replied, a bit confused, “I haven’t seen her since you were both in a few days ago.”  
                “Alright. I was just checking. She wasn’t at our apartment and isn’t answering her phone.”  
                Steve rose suddenly from his seat,  
                “Do you think she’s okay? Do you want us to go looking for her or something?”  
                “No, no. She is probably just at her studio but I was just making sure.”  
                “Her studio?” Bucky inquired.  
                “Yeah, she has this private studio apartment in West Village where she sometimes vanishes for a few days, normally when she is finishing up whatever novel she is working on.”  
                “Wait, so she pays rent at two places? In New York?”  
                “Yeah, being a famous romance novelist pays more than you might think.”  
                “Guess I had no idea she was so well known,” Bucky commented.  
                He seemed to be mulling this over as he turned to pour another drink for the neighborhood drunk who had once again taken up residence on his barstool.  
                “Oh well,” Olivia said, “thanks for the help anyways. I just wanted to check and make sure that was where she was.”  
                She turned to leave but Steve stopped her,  
                “You should stay. Have a drink.”  
                “Okay. I guess I could do that. Don’t really have any plans.”  
                She sat on the stool next to Steve and Bucky came over to take her drink order,  
                “Another old fashioned today?”  
                “Umm..no…I think I’ll go for a Moscow Mule today.”  
                “A Moscow Mule?”  
                “Yeah, do you know how to make them?”            
                “Oh yeah. Thanks to this man,” he said, gesturing to Steve, “I’ll never forget. It’s practically all he drinks other than beer. I just rarely hear someone else order one.”  
                “You like Moscow Muless too?” Olivia asked, turning to Steve.  
                “Yeah,” he replied, blushing a bit, “And I admit I always drink more of them than I should since I can’t get drunk.”  
                “You can’t get drunk?”  
                “No…it’s a long story…”  
                “I’ve got time,” Olivia replied, sipping the drink Bucky set in front of her, taking time to send him an appreciative nod.  
                “Well…I was born July 4, 1920…”  
                For the next few hours, Steve told Olivia all about his interesting past. He told her of how feeble he used to be growing up, his desire to join the army in World War II, the Super Solider serum, the Red Skull, the plane crash, being frozen and waking up in the present day, and his now involvement in the Avenger Initiative. As Bucky was a big part of Steve’s life, he was brought up several times but Olivia could tell it was not a topic to be discussed in detail. Steve eventually wrapped up his story and Olivia just looked at him, processing for a moment as she sipped her drink.  
                “So, things must be a bit overwhelming for you in this era.”  
                “They were. And some things still are. But more often, I feel homesick as opposed to overwhelmed. I miss the era I grew up in. Honestly, that is why I find you so fascinating, especially your job. Did you just come from another photo shoot?” he asked, gesturing to her dress.  
                “Oh…no…I actually just dress like this normally.”  
                Steve smiled, not really having a reply to express how wonderful he found that. Instead, he ordered another drink from Bucky, offering to buy Olivia one as well. The two of them sat sipping their last drinks before Steve paid both their tabs and walked with her outside. Arriving at the sidewalk, they said a quick goodbye to each other as they went their separate ways, Steve sending a smile over his shoulder at her as she turned the corner.


	5. A Challenge Extended

  It was several weeks before Bucky saw Tanya again. She came in alone and sat at the bar, beaming at him as he poured her usual glass of whiskey.  
                “Where have you been?” he asked, pouring himself a quick shot as well.  
                “Writing.”  
                “Did you finish the novel?”  
                “Yep. It’s at the publishing company now and will be out next month.”  
                “That was quick.”  
                “Are you implying something with that?”  
                “No, just saying you write fast.”  
                Tanya shrugged and took a sip of her whiskey.  
                “So, Olivia mentioned you have a studio apartment where you write?”  
                “Yeah, I go there normally when I am on a writing streak and need a place with no disruptions. The studio allows me to have room to walk around and think about my next scene as well as visualize how the scene will look.”     
                “So you just write all day?”  
                “Essentially. I also drink while I write.”  
                “Eat and sleep too?”  
                “If I remember.”  
                “Sounds healthy.”  
                “Hey, I don’t remember asking your opinion on my lifestyle,” Tanya replied with a bit of hostility.  
                “Sorry. I’m not judging. I was just curious. I mean, it clearly works since you seem to be very popular.”  
                “I am. I have quite a wide readership.”  
                “That’s good. I mean, I am sure there are many people into that sort of thing.”  
                “What do you mean by that?”  
                “I mean, I am sure there are many women out there who love living vicariously through your books.”  
                “I’ll have you know that there are actually many men who read my books as well.”  
                “If you say so.”  
                “You know, you have a lot of big talk for someone who has never read my books,” Tanya said, giving him a challenging stare.  
                Bucky stared back at her, a smirk beginning to cross his face.  
                “Alright, you have a point. I will read some of your books before I criticize.”  
                “Thank you,” Tanya replied, returning to her whiskey.  
                The conversation then turned to other topics, with Bucky telling an excited Tanya just how well Steve and Olivia seemed to be hitting it off.


	6. Lessons In Seduction

The next time Tanya came into the bar, Bucky was prepared. He had spent the last week or so reading several of her novels and he was excited to see if she asked about them. The night she showed up, The Bay was much more crowded than usual.  Finally, a seat at the bar opened up and Tanya quickly moved to take it. Bucky poured her a double shot of whiskey as she sat down, a huge grin on his face.  
                “What are you so smiley about?” she asked, taking a sip of her whiskey as she raised an eyebrow at him.  
                “Nothing.”  
                “Okay…did you read my books?”  
                “Actually, I did get a chance to read a few.”  
                “And?”  
                “Well…”  
                “You didn’t like them.”  
                “It’s not that. Honestly, I thought the plots weren’t bad. I enjoyed them.”  
                “Then what’s wrong with them?”  
                “Actually…the sex scenes.”  
                “Really? I mean, I know they are a bit descriptive but that’s kind of the nature of romance novels.”  
                “It’s not that. It’s just…well…they were a bit unrealistic.”  
                “Unrealistic?”  
                “Yeah…especially the lead in to a lot of them. It just…wasn’t a very natural progression of things…if that makes sense.”  
                “I guess…?”  
                “They were just a bit farfetched I guess. At least to me.”  
                Tanya got very quiet and sipped on her whiskey. Bucky sighed, feeling awful,  
                “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. I mean, obviously I am wrong because everyone else seems to like them.”  
                “No…it’s okay. It’s just…I always feel embarrassed about the sex scenes because I don’t have a ton of experience in that area and most of those scenes came from fantasies and day dreams. I guess it is just a disappointment that they are so unbelievable.”  
                Bucky was about to say something but Tanya cut him off, pulling herself together and smiling at him, saying,  
                “But…I am always open to constructive criticism and looking to improve. So…what scenes seemed unrealistic and how can I make them better in the future?”  
                “Hmm…well, the air force cadet at the ball was abrupt…I guess…or the guy the girl met in the club…or…hmm…oh, I know! The bartender one.”  
                “Hey, I was particularly proud of that one. What’s wrong with it?”  
                “Just…the way it happened. Okay...and maybe I’m biased…but the scenario is the female protagonist finally hooking up with the bartender she’s been flirting with for ages. In a real life scenario, the bartender is not going to just close down the place then fuck her on the bar. There are too many people around when a bar closes. The bartender would, however, seduce her and show her he wants to go home with her. But it would be subtle. Or at least more subtle than taking her right on the counter.”  
                “Okay…I’m intrigued. How would he seduce her?”  
                Bucky got an evil grin on his face,  
                “This is the perfect night to show you.”  
                “Show me? What do you mean?”  
                “You’ll see.”  
                Bucky went and started serving drinks to a few people before returning to her.  
                “So,” he began, “this bartender wanting to go home with the girl he’s been flirting with would start slowly, with eye flirting and smiles across the bar.”  
                He then disappeared to pour another beer, winking at her as she gave him a curious look as she polished off her whiskey. Bucky walked back to her, grabbing the bottle of Jack and pouring her another glass.    
                “Then, he might elevate it to the brushing of fingers while he hands her a drink, lingering eye contact as he finally relinquishes the glass.”  
                Bucky handed her the whiskey, his fingers tracing across the back of her hand as he smirked at her, causing her to blush. More people were running low on their drinks and Bucky stepped around the bar to take orders. Suddenly, Bucky slipped in between her stool and the one next to hers. Her crossed leg brushed his back as he spoke to the customer, who was clearly a regular. After a few moments of conversation, Bucky slipped his hand backward, his fingers tracing over her ankle lightly, causing Tanya to start. The customer turned his attention to his friend and Bucky leaned back, whispering to Tanya,  
                “Perhaps the bartender has to step out from behind the bar to help with a rush that the waitress can’t handle…or perhaps he is working alone that night. He makes an excuse to stand next to the girl, facing away from her but very aware of her presence. He could trace a hand over her leg or ankle, making his own presence known.”  
                Drink orders in hand, Bucky went back behind the bar, feverishly mixing up cocktails then stepping back out to deliver them. Tanya watched him work, enjoying the attention and flirty smiles he kept sending her way more than she cared to admit. He delivered the last drinks and stepped back in the space next to her, reaching across the bar to grab a napkin, getting very close to her in the process.  
                “To seduce the girl, he would purposely forget a napkin…or a straw...making it necessary for him to reach across her, get close to her. With a brush of his chest on hers,” he said, leaning forward, “and a quick glance at her lips,” he flicked his eyes down, “he is beginning to make his intentions clear, especially to a girl he already knows is interested.”  
                Bucky took the napkin to the table he forgot as Tanya tried to gather her raging thoughts, downing the rest of her whiskey.  
For the next hour, Bucky served the quickly dwindling crowd, driving Tanya a bit crazy with his sudden silence towards her. But soon, the crowd was gone and only one or two customers remained aside from her. Bucky poured her another whiskey and took the stool next to her, leaning towards her.  
                “By now, the girl is fairly certain of his message and she is going to stick around as people filter out. The bartender, knowing this, takes the seat next to hers…just to innocently chat…of course. But, meanwhile…”  
                Tanya jumped a bit as she suddenly felt Bucky’s fingers on her inner thigh, running up and down, as he kept an innocent facial expression while he continued,  
                “He will use the fact that no one can see beneath the bar to his advantage, touching her leg, her thigh, hinting at something more that would happen back at her place…or his place…depending on the scenario. And once she is good and flustered and he knows she has received his message loud and clear, he makes an excuse to exit…to clean or what not…”  
                Bucky quickly stood from his seat, going behind the bar and grabbing a rag as he began to wipe up spilled alcohol. He smiled wickedly at her as Tanya excused herself for a moment, needing to gather her thoughts. Tanya spent several moments, reminding herself that Bucky was just making a point and he wasn’t actually trying anything. When she felt more together, she left the bathroom, only to find herself face to face with Bucky.  
                “Finally,” Bucky said, his face and body only inches from hers, “if the girl goes to the bathroom, he will find an excuse to be in the hall when she gets out, knowing they are out of sight of the others. Perhaps he’ll say something, perhaps he won’t.”  
                Bucky leaned down so he was even closer, his lips almost brushing hers. His breath ghosted over her own lips as he practically whispered,  
                “Perhaps he’ll even kiss her right then and there…”  
                Tanya inhaled as she almost leaned forward to meet her lips with his when Bucky stood abruptly,  
                “Or maybe…he’ll leave that for later, when he can give her lips and the rest of her the attention he truly desires to.”  
                Bucky smiled at her and walked past her into the kitchen. Tanya’s head was reeling as she made her way slowly back to her stool. In a daze, she put down enough money for her tab and a generous tip, quickly making her way out the door, confused. She was partway down the street when she considered turning back. Had Bucky wanted her to stay? Was he actually wanting to take her home that night? She walked partially back to the bar then stopped. No, she knew what would happen if they went home together that night: just another broken heart and rejection for her. Sighing, she turned back in the direction of her apartment, hoping Bucky didn’t hate her too much for it.


	7. Crushed Crush

It was several weeks before Tanya felt comfortable enough to go back to The Bay but eventually her and Olivia wandered back, eager to see their new friends. Tanya approached Bucky, giving an apology with her look and no more was said between them on the matter…for now. Instead, they resumed their usual flirtatious manner as Tanya tried to pick his brain further on ideas for future novels.  
                Olivia immediately went over to sit next to Steve. She was afraid to admit she had developed a bit of a crush on him and was hoping that further conversation with him would give her an idea on how he felt about her. Bucky set a Moscow Mule down in front of her and she turned to Steve, taking a sip,  
                “So, how have you been?”  
                Steve was at a loss for words for a moment, taking in her white button-down shirt, her dark khaki skirt, and the way her softy curled hair fell around her face in a style reminiscent of the 1940s. Finally, he was able to answer her,  
                “Good…I’ve been good. I’m sorry, it just amazes me every time how much you remind me of a girl I knew.”  
                “Tell me about her,” Olivia said, encouraging him with a smile.  
                For the next hour, Steve regaled Olivia with stories about a girl named Peggy Carter, someone he clearly had cared for very much. As he spoke, Olivia slowly began to realize that Steve did like her, but only for the fact that she reminded him of a girl he had loved in his past. And technically, she wasn’t even in his past.  
                “She’s just…older…now,” Steve explained, “I often visit her in the nursing home and I know she is glad to see me. But I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if we had gotten that dance.”  
                Olivia put her hand on Steve’s arm, noting the sadness in his eyes as he reminisced.  
                “I’m sure she wonders the same thing,” she said softly, ignoring the knot in her stomach.  
                Steve nodded and took a sip of his drink, quickly changing the subject to what photo shoots she had done that week. After a couple hours, Tanya and Olivia decided to take off. They waved goodbye to the men and headed back to their apartment, each fighting with what they felt were their futile affections for the men out of time.


	8. Can't Fight The Feelings

It had been a month since the seduction incident between Bucky and Tanya but that night still played often in his mind. He thought he was being so clear about wanting to go home with her that night, being clear that he liked her. But maybe he wasn’t. Or maybe he was and her fast disappearance was just her way of trying to let him down easy. He shouldn’t be surprised really. Most girls ran as fast as they could from him. If his metal arm wasn’t enough to scare them off than his history certainly did the trick. But Tanya had seemed different. She noticed his arm but didn’t stare at it the way most people did. She also didn’t press him for the story behind it which he really appreciated. But maybe he had been wrong. Perhaps Tanya was just being polite and, while she seemed to enjoy his company, the idea of a relationship with him was repulsive to her. Or maybe she was still recovering from her latest rejection. Whatever the reason, he felt it best to keep quiet about the incident and just keep things as they were…that way no one would get hurt.

. . .

            She had fought it, fought it harder than she ever had before. Tanya didn’t want to like Bucky, didn’t want to think about him constantly the way she had been lately. Ever since the seduction incident, Tanya had started to like him more and more and spent more time at the bar than ever before. But history had taught her that liking a guy only led to heartbreak. So, she had already started her next novel with Bucky as the main character, knowing that eventually she would find herself rejected again and looking to write a better ending.  
                But something was different this time. Although he was never as forward as that one night, Bucky was still quite flirty with her. She would have said it was because he is a bartender and does that with anyone. But he didn’t treat Olivia the way he treated her. So often, she caught him staring at her, sending her flirty glances and constantly smiling at her. They talked freely about her novels and she constantly asked for advice from him, looking for ideas for potential future scenes. So maybe this time would be different. And as much as she tried to convince herself not to, she knew deep down she had to make her feelings known to him or she would regret it for a long time.


	9. Another Rejection

Over the next few weeks, Tanya looked for an opportunity to make her feelings clear to Bucky. She was nervous and she knew it was a risk but it had to be done. And Olivia encouraged her, saying that she was certain Bucky liked her. Finally, one crowded night, Tanya saw the perfect opportunity. Deciding to use his own methods against him, she began seducing him as he had done with her so perfectly about two months ago.  
                With the second glass of whiskey he poured for her, she reached out to take it, grazing a nail over his palm as she did and looking at him seductively as she took a sip. He gave her a confused look but didn’t have time to question it as he went to help a demanding customer wanting a gin and tonic. It wasn’t long before it was too crowded for him to stay behind the bar and he moved about the room, taking drink orders and getting tabs. Before long, he stopped next to Tanya, reaching for a handful of napkins to wipe up a spill. As he reached over the bar, she leaned over to grab a cherry from the bin behind the bar. Their chests pressed together and Bucky looked down at her as she popped the cherry in her mouth, glancing at his lips quickly as she did before meeting his gaze with a smile. Tanya saw him swallow hard as he gave her a confused smirk and left to deliver the napkins.  
                The bar finally cleared of everyone besides them and Bucky collapsed, exhausted, on the stool next to her.  
                “It hasn’t been this busy in a long time,” he said, taking a sip from her glass of whiskey.  
                “At least it’s slowing down.”  
                Bucky suddenly jumped as she felt Tanya’s hand rest on his knee and slowly slide up his thigh. She leaned in close to him, making sure to glance at his lips then back up at him as she spoke,  
                “I wish I could help.”  
                Bucky swallowed hard again as her hand moved higher. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to hide his growing excitement.  
                “Tanya, what are you doing?” he managed to ask.  
                “I had hoped that was fairly obvious. Ever since that night, I have regretted walking out on you. I almost turned back and I should have. So, now, I’m turning the tables and making up for that night.”  
                Bucky took a deep breath. He wanted nothing more than to reach across the space between them and bring her lips to his, to kiss her until she had no doubt that she was wanted. But he thought about his history and how much she didn’t know about him. He thought about how hurt she would be when she found out and how quickly she would run away from him. They had both had so much hurt in their lives and neither needed more. As hard as it was for him, he did the only thing he could to save them both immense pain in the future; he lied.  
                “Tanya,” he began, removing her hand from his leg, “I’m sorry if I gave the wrong impression that night but I was just playing with you. I was just demonstrating a hypothetical situation. If you’re worried that you hurt my feelings that night, I promise you didn’t. I mean, you’re a great friend but that’s all I really see you as. Sorry.”  
                Tanya backed up, taking a big gulp of her whiskey as she felt the familiar drop in her stomach.  
                “Oh, no, don’t apologize. I mean, I just felt bad that I had walked out that night and was trying to joke around. No, I’m just playing too. No big deal. Just wanted to show you that you taught me well.”  
                She ended her speech with a light laugh, hoping it didn’t sound as fake as it was. She downed the rest of her whiskey and put some money down on the bar.  
                “Hey…I…um…I have to get going. I, uh, have an early meeting with my publisher.”  
                She stood up, grabbed her purse, and headed towards the door,  
                “But…I’ll…um…see you around,” she said as she left.  
                “Tanya…wait…” Bucky called after her but she was already gone.  
                Bucky picked up the whiskey glass she had been drinking from and chucked it against the wall, shattering it into a million pieces. He put his head in his hands and took a deep, gasping breath. Despite his deep desire to run after her, Bucky just picked up a broom and began sweeping up the broken glass, all the while running over each horrible thing he had done in his life; it was the only thing he could do to convince himself he had just done the right thing.


	10. What Did You Do?!

Two weeks passed and neither Tanya nor Olivia came into the bar. Bucky figured he would never see Tanya again and, as much as it hurt, he figured it was for the best. Steve, on the other hand, had no idea what had passed between his best friend and the writer and wondered why she hadn’t been around in awhile. He was also quite sad that Olivia hadn’t been in either. From the first moment he talked to her, Steve was enchanted. She was completely unlike any girl he had met in this era so far. And though she reminded him of Peggy and he adored her for that, there were a billion other unique reasons why he wanted to be with her. But, as usual, he had let her slip through his fingers; he didn’t even have her number. And now he didn’t know if he would ever see her again.  
                One Wednesday, the bar was emptier than usual. The only patron, other than Steve, was the drunk, who had fallen asleep beside his drink. Suddenly, the door slammed open, causing the drunk to startle awake and fall off his stool. Steve and Bucky’s heads shot up as they looked at who was walking in, surprised to see that it was an incredibly irate Olivia. She stormed up to the bar, getting right in Bucky’s face.  
                “What did you do?!” she bellowed at him.  
                “What are you talking about?” he replied, backing away from the enraged woman.  
                “I haven’t seen Tanya for two weeks! I only get a text from her every now and then just to let me know she’s still alive. She has been holed away in her studio, writing I’m assuming. Which I can’t figure out why, exactly. Considering that the guy she liked this time actually liked her back. Or so I thought. So, now, I want to know what you did to fuck it up!”  
                Steve looked between Olivia and Bucky in shock.  
                “You like Tanya?” he asked, in disbelief that his friend had never mentioned it.  
                Bucky sighed and ran his fingers through his air, looking between Olivia and Steve, knowing he had to come clean.  
                “Yeah…yeah I do.”  
                “Then what happened?” Olivia demanded.  
                “Yeah, I mean, I know she was crazy about you,” Steve said.  
                “She’s crazy about me now, Steve, but you know she won’t be in the future, not after she learns what I’ve done.”  
                “Just what are you implying about my friend?”  
                Bucky turned to Olivia,  
                “Nothing. It’s just…I have…a really bad past…to put it mildly.”  
                “And you told her about it and she rejected you? Because that really doesn’t sound like Tanya. She is big on second chances.”  
                “No…I didn’t tell her anything. I knew it would only hurt her…and me. So, when she came onto me, I told her I saw her only as a friend. It will be better in the end for both of us.”  
                “So let me get this straight, you rejected her when she put herself out there…again…because you were too scared that she might reject you if you were the one to put yourself out there?”  
                “No…I…”  
                “I have to agree with Olivia on this one, Buck. You should at least let her decide how she feels.”  
                “I don’t want to hurt her Steve. I have done horrible, unmentionable things in my life. She deserves better than me.”  
                “Bucky,” Olivia said, sighing, “why don’t you let her decide what she deserves? She has been hurt by many men in her life who did many different things. But she’s never been hurt by a guy being honest with her.”  
                Bucky sighed, knowing they were both right.  
                “Alright, I’ll talk to her.”  
                “Now.”  
                “Olivia, I can’t right now. I’m working.”’  
                Olivia went over to the owner, who was watching TV in his chair,  
                “Hey Jim, Bucky has something he really needs to take care of. Is it okay if Steve and I watch the bar for awhile?”  
                Jim just nodded, signaling to Bucky that it was fine. Olivia walked behind the bar and gave Bucky a pointed look.  
                “Okay…I’ll go now. Where is her studio?”  
                Olivia gave him the address and he walked out the door as Olivia shooed him away before turning to talk to Steve. Bucky hailed a cab and gave the driver the address; he had never been so scared of a conversation in his life.


	11. Wanted

   Bucky climbed the stairs up to the front door of Tanya’s studio apartment. He took a deep breath and knocked. He heard cussing inside then the door opened, revealing Tanya. It was the dead of summer so she was dressed only in a bra and pajama shorts; Bucky tried hard not to stare down at her much-revealed chest. From her hand dangled a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels. Her hair was greasy and thrown up in a ponytail and there were dark circles beneath her eyes, which were red from crying. Seeing who it was, she yelled,              
                “What do you want?”  
                “I want to talk to you Tanya.”  
                “Why? You want to tell me what a good friend I am or how you don’t find me even remotely attractive?”  
                “No, I want to explain myself.”  
                “Okay…explain.”  
                “I’m not talking to you in this condition.”  
                “It’s this condition or not at all.”  
                “Fine. Can I at least come in?”  
                Tanya sighed, her lingering feelings making it impossible for her to say no to him. She stood aside and he walked into her little flat. They went over to the small bed in the corner and both sat down on it.  
                “Tanya,” Bucky began, “first of all, I do like you. In fact, I’m crazy about you. But, there are things you need to know about me. Things that I am certain will change the way you feel about me.”  
                Bucky grabbed the whiskey bottle from her, taking a few huge gulps before continuing,  
                “So, I know you have noticed my metal arm. You don’t stare at it and you’ve never asked questions but I know you notice it. This arm is part of a very dark history that I very rarely share with anyone and for good reason. So, you may have heard Steve’s story of how he became who he is…”  
                For the next hour, Bucky told Tanya all about growing up with Steve, his time in the army in World War II, falling off the train, being revived by Hydra and how they replaced his missing arm, the way they took over his mind and turned him into a killing machine, The Winter Soldier, and finally how S.H.I.E.L.D. had managed to rescue him, restore his brain, rehabilitate him, and got him a job in regular society.  
                “I still have a long way to go but I’m much better than I was before. But still, Tanya, I have done horrible things in my life. I have killed…innocent people…and done worse things than that. I am not a good guy Tanya…I am a monster and a freak.”   
                Bucky stood from the bed and started walking towards the door, not wanting to see the look of hate and judgement and sorrow on Tanya’s face. He was just about out when he turned back to her, still sitting on the bed, processing,  
                “Tanya, I care a lot about you and because of that, I am leaving you to let you find a guy you actually deserve. You are the most amazing person I have ever met and you deserve someone who can give you the world; I’m not that guy. I just…I wanted you to know that what I did was not a rejection of you…it was a rejection of me. Just…please…don’t ever think I didn’t want you.”  
                Bucky turned to walk out the door when he suddenly felt Tanya’s hand on the side of his face. She turned his head to her, wrapped her hand behind his neck, and pulled his lips down on hers. Then she kissed him, passionately, lovingly, tenderly. It was everything Bucky imagined it would be and more because she was kissing him despite who he used to be. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight against him as he kissed her back with the same love she was showing him, the love of two people who finally felt wanted.


	12. Taking Care of Tanya

Bucky and Tanya stood in the doorway kissing until they couldn’t breathe and had to stop. As they caught their breath, they continued standing there, arms around the other, just holding each other for a long time. Tanya had her face buried in his shirt as she cried tears that arose from the combination of the happiness and exhaustion she currently felt. After a moment, she lifted her head to look at him as Bucky lowered his lips down to hers once again, kissing her passionately once more before finally letting her go. Bucky closed the door behind him and walked further into the apartment. He looked around, finally getting an idea of where she hid herself away. The place was a mess really with scribbled on papers littering the floor, notebooks stacked in a corner, empty glasses and bottles of booze covering the counters, and a pile of dirty clothes tossed in a heap in front of the closet. Bucky put his hands on Tanya’s shoulders after wiping away a final tear. Looking her in the eyes, he said,  
                “Tanya, I would love to keep kissing you and holding you for hours. But we will have a lot of time for that later. Right now, I think you’re in need of some taking care of.”  
                “What do you mean?”  
                “I mean…how long has it been since you ate?”  
                “Two days.”  
                “And slept?”  
                “Three days.”  
                “Showered?”  
                “A week…”  
                “Alright. Well, how about this? You go take a long, hot shower and I will make something to eat. Then, I promise we can lay in bed and I will tell you every single thing I find wonderful about you until you fall asleep.”            
                Another single tear fell down Tanya’s cheek as she nodded. With one last kiss to her forehead, Bucky shooed her to the bathroom while he made his way to the small kitchen. He heard the water turn on and, satisfied, he began poking around to see what she had. To his surprise, he found her refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards were filled with food. Searching around, he finally decided on macaroni and cheese. He started some water boiling and tossed the noodles in. While they cooked, Bucky decided to see what else she had in her place. It was admittedly really small but she had used the space well. In one corner was the small bed they had sat on, sparsely covered with a single blanket. In the opposite corner, by the window was a simple desk with a laptop on it. Next to the desk was a TV, small but fairly expensive. And the rest of the wall was covered in bookshelves which he went over to investigate. One was filled with romance novels, hers as well as ones written by various authors. The other bookshelf was packed with movies, mostly of an erotic or foreign nature. Bucky blew out a sharp breathe. There was definitely more to Tanya than met the eye and he couldn’t wait to discover more.  
                Hearing the water shut off, Bucky returned to the kitchen to check on the noodles. Draining them, he then added shredded cheese and cream, stirring it around until the noodles were coated. He was just scooping out two bowls of the cheesy goodness when Tanya emerged from the bathroom wearing different pajama shorts and bra, her wet hair leaving water droplets down her chest. For a moment, Bucky let his eyes wander over her body, but refused to linger, knowing there was plenty of time for all that later. He smiled at her as she approached him, wrapping his arms around her middle as she leaned up to kiss him again.  
                “I like kissing you,” she whispered against his lips.  
                “I like kissing you too,” replied with a smile, “but now it is time to eat.”  
                Giving her one more peck, Bucky reluctantly moved away from her and turned to grab the bowls sitting on the counter. He handed her one and they both went to the bed to sit and eat.  
                “This is really good,” Tanya said appreciatively as she shoveled another heaping spoonful into her mouth, “Thank you for making it. I really was hungrier than I realized.”  
                “You’re welcome. So, if you don’t mind me asking, why do you have so much food in your kitchen if you go so long without eating?”  
                “Well, cooking is one of my ways to pass time while I think about stories. The only problem is that usually when I finished making the food, I get too distracted with my writing to actually eat it.”  
                “Makes sense. So you’re a cook?”  
                “Yeah, I try to be.”  
                “Well I will have no objections if you ever want to cook for me.”  
                Tanya smiled at him, glad he was back to his snarky self. They continued chatting while they ate, both overjoyed to finally know how the other felt. After eating, Bucky took the dishes to the kitchen, setting them to soak in the sink as he went back to join Tanya on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and she sunk into his chest as he stroked her hair.  
                “So, I know it’s only ten but I think we should go to bed. You look exhausted and I know I am.”  
                “I am pretty tired,” she confessed.  
                Bucky stood up and stripped off his t-shirt. Tanya’s eyes opened wide as she took in his incredibly toned body; who knew that was what he was hiding under there? He noticed her admiration and smirked at her, not saying a word. He then began undoing the snap of his jeans, pausing to ask her,  
                “Is this okay? I mean, I don’t have pajamas with me or anything.”  
                “Yeah, that’s fine,” Tanya said, her voice slightly higher than intended.  
                Bucky smiled again, stepping out of his jeans wearing only his boxers and tossing them to join his shirt on the floor. He then walked over, turned out the light, and crawled into the small bed with Tanya, spooning her as she pulled the blanket over them. After a moment of silence, he said,  
                “The arm doesn’t bother you, does it? I know it can’t be incredibly comfortable when it comes to cuddling.”  
                “It doesn’t bother me one bit,” she said, rolling over to face him, “Honestly, it makes me feel safe.”  
                Bucky’s smile filled up his whole face and he used the metal arm to pull her tighter against him, his other hand tangling in her hair as he kissed her. Once they were both breathless again, Tanya rolled back over, pressing herself against Bucky’s warm body.  
                “James,” Tanya said hesitantly, causing Bucky to smile at her intimate use of his first name, “you’ll tell me if I’m doing something wrong, won’t you?”  
                Bucky leaned over, burying his nose in her still wet hair, right by her ear, inhaling the fresh scent of her shampoo. He kissed her clean skin softly, replying,  
                “What do you mean?”  
                “Well…I mean, I have no idea how to be a girlfriend so you’ll have to let me know if I’m doing something wrong. I mean, I could be doing something wrong just by saying the word girlfriend already, I don’t know. I just…”  
                Bucky gently turned her face and stopped her words with his lips. He released her lips, kissing her gently on the nose before she returned to resting her head on his non-metal arm.  
                “You’re not doing anything wrong. And I love that you use the term girlfriend already. This is really quite new for me as well…so let’s just take it one day at a time.”  
                Tanya nodded and closed her eyes as Bucky started tracing his fingers up and down her arm, whispering in her ear all the wonderful things he thought of her until he felt her drift off into a heavy sleep.


	13. A Misunderstanding

After that night at the studio, Bucky and Tanya quickly fell into a familiar rhythm. Tanya was booked for quite a few book signings so she was usually busy during the day and Bucky was the sole bartender most days so he was occupied from two in the afternoon until one in the morning most of the time. But they spent as much time together as possible, mostly at the bar and Bucky always spent the night with her, spooning her as they talked until they fell asleep. Tanya was also busy writing her next novel, mostly at her publisher’s insistence. She knew she couldn’t use a lot of what she had before but, by changing a few details around, she was able to keep the main idea of the one she had started on Bucky.  
                One night, she was at the bar with Olivia, chatting with Bucky and working on her novel. Olivia was over talking with Steve, who was delighted at his best friend’s new relationship, not just because he was excited to see his best friend happy but also because it meant he got to see a lot more of Olivia. As they sat talking, Steve knew he couldn’t put off asking her on a date any longer.  
                “Olivia, would you like to see a film with me tomorrow night?”  
                “Sure. You guys want to come?” she asked, turning to Bucky and Tanya who got caught stealing a kiss.  
                “Why not?” Tanya agreed as Bucky nodded agreement.  
                Steve tried not to let his disappointment show on his face. After all, he hadn’t actually specified that he wanted it to be a date and perhaps it would be best to make it a group thing to start out with. Deciding to be happy with the outcome of his request, Steve smiled and said he would text the group with more details later once they figured out which one to see.


	14. The Double Date

The next night, Bucky, Steve, Tanya, and Olivia all met outside the movie theater; after little debate, the group had settled on a romantic comedy set in World War II.  Bucky and Steve paid for the tickets and led the girls into their assigned theater. With the boys on the outside, Tanya and Olivia sat next to each other, settling in next to their men. Bucky immediately reached over and took Tanya’s hand, intertwining his fingers with hers and smiling at her lovingly. Steve, deciding maybe that was a great way to show Olivia how he felt, did the same, taking her small hand into his large one and wrapping his fingers around hers; she didn’t pull back but her body language remained the same. Soon, the lights began to dim and previews started playing.  
                Not wanting to make Steve and Olivia feel awkward, Bucky made sure to keep his kisses subtle but he couldn’t keep his hand from wandering over to Tanya’s knee, enjoying the way she jumped at the feeling of his cold metal on her skin. She gave him a snarky grin and leaned her head onto his shoulder, sighing as the hand holding hers released her fingers and moved around her to pull her closer to him. Steve noticed their change in position and attempted to make his shoulder available to Olivia if she wanted to rest her head there. But her focus was on the screen the whole time.  
                After the movie, Bucky and Tanya decided to head over to her studio, which was only a few blocks away, to watch a movie and just have some alone time to exchange kisses they hadn’t been able to in the theater. They wandered down the street, hand in hand, and Steve turned to Olivia,  
                “You want to go grab a drink…or something?”  
                “Actually, I have an early morning photo shoot. Sorry.”  
                She looked genuinely apologetic and Steve offered to see her home. They got in a cab and chatted the whole way from opposite sides of the backseat. As Olivia smiled and waved goodbye to him from the front door, Steve knew he would have to make it much clearer he was asking her on a date…and make sure it wasn’t a group one this time.


	15. Dinner and a Request

A few nights later, Bucky was given a night off so Tanya decided to cook him dinner at the studio. They spent a lot of time over there, it turned out, so they wouldn’t make Olivia feel awkward with their couple-ness. Bucky arrived at seven and already the small apartment was filled with the glorious smells of food cooking. When Tanya opened the door, Bucky smiled at the sweatpants and t-shirt she was wearing which was already covered with bits of food and flour.  
                “How do you always look so adorable?” he said, using his metal arm to pull her into him.  
                He kissed her soundly as she ran her hands up his chest and into his hair. When he finally released her lips, she replied,  
                “The same way you always look so damn handsome.”  
                “You’re ridiculous.”  
                Bucky walked further into the apartment, closing the door behind him and taking off his shoes and socks, leaving him in just jeans and his white v-neck shirt. Comfortable, he then followed Tanya back into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her middle and kissing her neck as she pushed some caramelizing onions around a skillet.  
                “This smells amazing, doll. What are you making?”  
                “Pan seared chicken with mushrooms in a balsamic cream sauce.”  
                “Wow…that sounds super fancy. You didn’t have to go to so much trouble just for me.”  
                Tanya turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck,  
                “You deserve it. Nothing is too much trouble for you, my love. Oh, I almost forgot, would you like some wine?”  
                “Sure,” he replied, grabbing two wine glasses from the hanging rack beneath her cabinets while she reached for the bottle of Pinot Noir. She poured them each a large glass and returned to her onions. Bucky leaned against the counter adjacent to the stove,  watching his girlfriend in amusement as she seared the chicken, made the sauce, and plated the meal, taking extra measures to make it look good. She set the plates down on the tiny kitchen table she had in one corner, bringing the wine over after. Bucky joined her at the table and the two began eating the delicious smelling food.  
                “This is utterly incredible!” he exclaimed, using his knife to cut off another bite.  
                “Thanks. It’s my specialty. I really like making it.”  
                “Well you are amazing at it.”  
                They ate in silence for awhile before  Bucky finally spoke again,  
                “So, when are you going to let me take you out on our first date?”  
                “Our first date? These don’t count as dates?”  
                “No. I want to take you out on a real date. You know, get dressed up, show my girl off to the town.”  
                Tanya blushed and stared at her plate, a small smile on her face as she pushed her chicken around in the sauce.  
                “Everything okay?” Bucky asked, confused at her reaction.  
                She nodded and bit her lip uncomfortably, looking as if she wanted to tell him something she didn’t have the words for.  
                “Have you…have you never been out on a real date?” Bucky asked, reaching across the table to take her hand.  
                Tanya shook her head, embarrassed to meet his gaze. Bucky stroked his thumb over the back of her hand.  
                “Well that’s just a shame. And whatever guy refused to take you out was a complete idiot for not wanting to brag about his amazing girl to the entire world.”  
                She blushed and finally looked up.  
                “How did I get a guy as amazing as you?”  
                “I am not the amazing one in this relationship.”  
                Bucky then lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her palm before releasing it, allowing them to get back to their meals. After dinner, Bucky insisted on cleaning the kitchen while Tanya picked a movie. Then, in their usual tradition, they crawled beneath the sheets, cuddling together and kissing until they fell asleep while the movie played in the background.


	16. Take Two

For take two of Steve’s date with Olivia, he asked her to dinner at an out of the way Chinese place close to her apartment.  Showing up in a black button-down shirt and jeans, Steve smiled when he saw her in a black pencil skirt and vintage blue top. Olivia noticed his huge grin and appreciation for her outfit and pushed down the sudden butterflies in her stomach. She was excited to be going to dinner with him but she had to keep reminding herself that they were just friends and he only found her attractive because he looked like his lost love. Pushing away the negative thoughts, she smiled, asking,  
                “Ready to go?”  
                “Absolutely.”  
                It was a beautiful night and Steve decided they should walk over to the restaurant. As they strolled, he reached over, taking her hand in his and intertwining their fingers. Olivia thought it a slightly odd move for friends but to each his own. She smiled at him, asking him about his day. They soon arrived at the restaurant and Steve got them a small, intimate table in the back. After they ordered, the two just sat chatting. Throughout the meal, Steve couldn’t place his finger on what was wrong. Olivia was acting friendly and happy but there was something distant about her, something not date-like. Perhaps it was his inexperience, but he couldn’t quite figure out why she wasn’t picking up on the fact that he liked her or that this was supposed to be a date.  
                When the check came, Olivia insisted on paying her half, much to Steve’s disappointment and confusion. Perhaps she was aware this was supposed to be a date but she didn’t want to go out with him and was too polite to say anything. Yet she had seemed to flirt with him when they first met. They walked home and Steve left her at her front door, kissing her on the cheek and telling her what a great time he had. As he walked down the street, confused and a bit sad, he knew he had to ask Bucky exactly what he was doing wrong. Because he still couldn’t let go of the feeling that she liked him.


	17. Her First Real Date

Two weeks later, Bucky took another night off from the bar for his first official date with Tanya. Nervously, he undid then redid the top button of his white shirt, trying to decide what would look best for his date. He knew he was taking her to a fancy place but when he looked in his closet that night, he realized he had nothing but jeans and a few nice shirts to choose from. Well, that and his army uniform but that seemed hardly appropriate. Or maybe it was. How was he supposed to know? The last date he had been on was in 1943 and things were quite different then. Finally satisfied with his outfit, he knocked on the door of Tanya and Olivia’s apartment. Olivia opened the door, smiling at the anxious looking man outside.  
                “Come on in Bucky. She’s just finishing getting ready.”  
                Bucky strode around the apartment while he waited, taking in the beautiful wood floors and many gorgeous windows that let in a tremendous amount of light. Soon, he heard footsteps behind him, coming from the direction of Tanya’s room and he turned to look at his date. Even Olivia heard his breath catch in his throat as he took in the cocktail dress she was wearing whose sweetheart neckline showed the classiest amount of cleavage and whose emerald color made her curly red hair shimmer as it fell softly around her face. Olivia had let her borrow a pearl necklace and some red lipstick which gave her look the perfect touch.  
                Bucky, finally regaining the ability to speak and move his legs, walked towards the vision that was his girlfriend,  
                “You look unbelievably breathtaking,” he said, arms going around her waist to pull her close to him.  
                “Thanks,” she replied nervously, looking up at him, “You really like it? It’s not too much?”  
                She looked down at his outfit,  
                “You look so good…and casual…maybe I should go change into jeans…I mean…”  
                Bucky cut her off by pulling her hard into his body and holding her tight,  
                “Just come here and kiss me.”  
                He leaned down and kissed her languidly, lingering over her lips for a minute, whispering,  
                “You look perfect.”  
                He kissed her again before encouraging her towards the door, taking time to appreciate the way the open back of her dress dipped down low enough for him to almost see the whisper of lace she was wearing underneath. Tanya slipped on her shoes and they bid goodnight to Olivia as they headed downstairs.  
                Bucky hailed them a cab and directed him to The River Café. When the cab pulled up, Bucky helped his girlfriend out of the car and ushered her towards the door with a hand lightly placed on the skin of her lower back. The host seated them at a table right on the water, assuring them it was one of the most romantic seats in the house. He brought back menus and gave the couple time to look them over. As the sun set behind them, Tanya looked up from her menu, finding Bucky staring at her,  
                “What?” she asked, unconsciously touching her hair.  
                “You know what’s great about you? You are completely unaware of the four men in this room staring at you right now. And I am the lucky one who gets to sit across the table from you, gets to leave with you, gets to kiss you goodnight.”  
                Tanya blushed, not having much of a response to that. She was about to say how lucky she was to have him in her life when the waiter came back, asking for their order. They each placed their order and Bucky also requested a bottle of wine for the table. Once the food and alcohol came, Bucky and Tanya eased back into their flirtatious ways, making snarky comments to the other as they talked about their days and interests not yet explored. The check came and Bucky paid, escorting Tanya back outside into the peaceful, summer night.  
                “So,” Bucky began, suddenly looking nervous, “I had an idea for what we could do next but you might think it’s weird.”  
                “Hit me,” Tanya said, “I highly doubt I will judge you.”  
                “Well, there is a big band playing a few blocks over and I thought we could go dancing. I know that is kind of cheesy but, to be honest, I haven’t dated in 70 years and back then, a typical date was dinner and dancing. I know you worry about not being experienced at dating but I am just as inexperienced really and…”  
                This time it was Tanya’s turn to cut Bucky off midsentence with a kiss. Upon releasing his lips, she said,  
                “James, dancing sounds wonderful. Although you might have to teach me how.”  
                A huge smile returned to his face as he took her hand and led her over to the club where the band was playing. For the next several hours, Bucky taught her how to dance to the jumpy music and enjoying the moments where he could just sway with her to a slow song, looking into her beautiful hazel eyes and wondering how he got so lucky.  
                Around eleven, the band wrapped up their set and Bucky and Tanya headed out of the ballroom. Down on the street, they stood in silence for a moment, wondering what do to next.  
                “You want to see my place?” Bucky asked hopefully as he hailed a cab.  
                “I would love to.”


	18. Steve Gets Some Advice

Before long, the cab was pulling up outside Bucky’s apartment building. Hand in hand they took the elevator up to his floor and Bucky pulled out his key. Opening the door, the couple was quickly greeted by an energetic black lab who was barking loudly and jumping up on Bucky.  
                “Hi boy! Did you miss me?! Hi! Okay…okay…Baxter down.”  
                The happy dog then went over to sniff and lick Tanya, demonstrating his approval of her to Bucky.  
                “Your dog is so cute!”  
                “Thanks. He’s actually Steve’s dog but Baxter became a big part of my rehab so I love him like my own.”  
                Moving past the dog, Bucky showed Tanya around the apartment. It was a simple place, definitely fitting for two men who had been in the army. It contained two simple bedrooms, a living room with a TV, a couch and a chair, and a small kitchen.  
                “It doesn’t look like much,” Bucky said while pouring them each some whiskey, “but it does have one cool feature.”  
                He led Tanya up a staircase where they emerged onto a little deck located on the roof.  
                “Sometimes I sleep out here just looking out over the city, think about how far I’ve come...and also about what I’ve done.”  
                A sad look crossed Bucky’s face as he stared out over the skyline. Tanya walked over to him, looping her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder.  
                “James, just because you did bad things in the past doesn’t make you a bad person. You are the most wonderful person I have ever met and I can’t even imagine how empty my life would be if I had never met you.”   
                Bucky turned to her, taking a moment to look at the sincerity in her eyes before he wrapped his hand behind her head and kissed her soundly. After several moments of lip-locking under the stars, the two of them decided to head back inside to watch a movie. Tanya slipped off her shoes and settled with Bucky on the couch, curling into his side as he hit play.  
                An hour later, Steve finally returned home, setting down his stuff and grabbing a water from the kitchen. He wandered into the living room and saw the couple cuddled on the couch together. Not wanting to interrupt him, he turned to leave but Bucky said,  
                “Where were you? Hanging out with Olivia again?”  
                “No…late meeting with S.H.I.E.L.D.”  
                “So what’s going on with you two anyway?” Bucky asked, pausing the movie and turning to his friend.  
                “I honestly have no idea. I asked her out twice but both times, although she agreed to go, it didn’t seem like a date. It almost seemed like she tried extra hard to make them just friend things. I don’t know. Maybe I read the signals wrong at the beginning and she really wasn’t into me.”  
                “Wait!” exclaimed Tanya, sitting up, “You’re into Olivia?”  
                “Yeah. Why? Did she say something?”  
                “Yeah! She’s crazy about you! But she thinks you only think of her as a friend and that the only reason you find her attractive is because she reminds you of Peggy.”  
                “Really? I mean, she does kind of remind me of her but I like her for who she is.”  
                “Then you need to show her that.”  
                “How?”  
                “I don’t know. Just do little things for her that are specific only to her. Show her you remember what she tells you.”  
                “Hmm…” Steve said, looking thoughtful, “I definitely need to consider this more. Thank you Tanya. Really. I needed to know that.”  
                “You’re welcome. It’s what best friends are for.”  
                “Well, I’ll leave you two to your movie. I think I want to go to bed anyway.”  
                “Goodnight,” the couple said in unison, turning back to their movie as Steve hit the light on his way out.  
                After a few moments, Bucky turned to Tanya,  
                “I’m glad he went to bed.”  
                “Why?”  
                “Because now I know he won’t walk in on us if I start doing this.”  
                Bucky then tangled both hands in her hair as he captured her mouth with his, kissing her hungrily, like he had been starving for her lips all night. Sighing, he laid her back on the couch, his hands leaving her hair to trace down her neck, her chest, her sides. Tanya wrapped her arms around him, holding him tighter to her as she kissed him back, never wanting to let him go. With a playful bite of her lip, Bucky opened her mouth and let his tongue slide inside to tangle with hers.  Soon they both needed to come up for air and Bucky moved his lips to her neck, sucking and biting his way down while his metal hand slid up to lightly graze her chest through her dress. Tanya moaned at the sensation and grabbed Bucky’s hair, yanking his mouth back to hers, her tongue doing the exploring this time as they both continued to get to know the body of the other by letting their hands wander. After several hours of making out on the couch, Bucky and Tanya decided it best to move things to the bedroom, continuing their kissing beneath the sheets  until they both fell asleep, wrapped around each other.


	19. Roses

A few nights later, Olivia and Tanya were hanging out at the bar with Bucky. They were the only ones in the place aside from the drunk, sipping whiskey on his bar stool.  
                “Where’s Steve tonight?” Olivia eventually asked, unable to contain her curiosity.  
                “Not sure actually,” Bucky replied, “He said he was going to be here tonight.”  
                As if on cue, the door opened and Steve walked through the door. Olivia couldn’t believe how handsome he looked that night with his plaid shirt, khakis, and brown leather jacket. But what really caught her eye was the bouquet of pink roses he was carrying. Walking over to her, he handed her the flowers nervously, smiling at her in expectation.  
                “These are for me?” Olivia asked in amazement, taking the flowers.  
                “Of course. You said pink roses are your favorite, right?”  
                “I did. But, what’s the occasion?” she said, plunging her nose deep into the bouquet and smelling their beautiful scent.  
                “No occasion. You’re just worth it.”  
                Steve then sat down next to her, ordering a drink before Bucky ran the back to grab a vase. The rest of the night, Steve didn’t act any different but Olivia kept playing over in her mind how sweet it was that he had remembered her favorite flower. And what his giving them to her might mean.


	20. The Second Date

After weeks of book signings and appearances, Tanya finally got a weekend off and Bucky decided to make the most of it. He took a whole day off and planned an amazing second date for his girlfriend. That Saturday, around ten in the morning, Bucky showed up at the girls’ apartment, this time dressed in a blue t-shirt and black board shorts. He knocked on the door, smiling when his girlfriend opened the door, looking adorable in a strapless, olive green top and cut-off denim shorts. He gave her a quick but sound kiss before saying,  
                “You ready to go?”  
                “Absolutely,” she said, slipping on some sandals.  
                They wandered out the door and into a waiting cab. Before long, they had arrived at Coney Island, a place Tanya had never been. They got out of the car and Bucky smiled at the eager expression of his girl.  
                “So, what do you want to do first?” he asked, taking her hand.  
                “I don’t even know where to start!”  
                “Well…in that case…I have some ideas.”  
                He led Tanya over to the arcade where, for the next several hours, they played game after game. Tanya spent much of the time losing games, teasing Bucky that his arm gave him the advantage. Around mid-day, they were both getting hungry so Bucky led them to a stand selling every greasy, unhealthy food imaginable. Tanya grabbed a table off to the side while her boyfriend went to buy corn dogs, funnel cakes, and cotton candy. They ate themselves into a food and sugar coma then decided to work it off by strolling down the boardwalk, looking at the shops. Eventually, they got bored of just walking and were ready to move on to something else. Bucky led them over to where a few rides were. After a few rides on the carousel, he took Tanya’s hand and took her to the Ferris wheel. He purchased a ride and they climbed into the cart.  
                “Yes! This is blue one so it swings!”  
                Tanya plastered a big smile on her face and nodded. The ride started up and Bucky immediately started rocking the carriage, looking out over the view and smiling across at Tanya, whose white knuckles gripped the seat. After several minutes, the ride finally stopped and the two of them got off. Bucky was all excitement as he walked besides his girlfriend, chattering excitedly,  
                “That is definitely my favorite ride. And I always get the blue one so I can swing it. Don’t you love the…”  
                Finally looking over at the silent Tanya, he noticed she was pale white.  
                “Are you okay?” he inquired, going over and putting his arm around her shoulder.  
                “Yeah…of course.”  
                “You’re using your lying voice,” he replied, stopping their walk and getting her to look at him, “What’s wrong?”  
                “Well…” Tanya began, looking like she really didn’t want to say what she was about to, “I’m terrified of heights.”  
                “Terrified of heights? What does that…oh.”  
                Bucky trailed off as the realization of what she just said sank in.  
                “You mean…the Ferris wheel?”  
                Tanya slowly nodded as Bucky put his arms around her to hug her.  
                “Why didn’t you say anything?”  
                “Well...when I was a kid, my parents always made me go on these rides that terrified me and told me I had to learn to like them or people wouldn’t want to hang out with me because I’m no fun. And…well…I was afraid that if I said something, you would think I was a huge coward and wouldn’t want to be with me anymore.”  
                Bucky stroked her hair as she embarrassedly buried her face in his chest.  
                “Doll…look at me.”  
                Tanya raised her gaze to meet his.  
                “Don’t ever feel like you have to hide any part of yourself from me. I love you just the way you are and wouldn’t change a single thing about you.”  
                “You love me?”  
                Bucky paused, realizing what he had just said.  
                “Well…yeah. I guess it is a bit early to say that…but I don’t really care. Because that’s how I feel.”  
                “I love you too, James.”  
                Bucky smiled at her, leaning down to kiss her softly, expressing the extent of his love to her as she responded with her own feelings. They finally broke the kiss, still standing in the middle of the crowd.  
                “So,” Bucky finally said, taking her hand and resuming their walking. How about a few more rides then we can find dinner?”  
                “Sounds good.”  
                “And you promise to let me know if you don’t want to go on a ride.”  
                “Deal.”  
                The two spent the next several hours riding rides before getting too hungry to keep going. So, they found a restaurant on the beach and ordered burgers and beers. They ate and chatted until the sun was setting and they went to claim their spots for the movie on the beach. Around eleven, they finally headed back to Tanya’s apartment. Olivia was already in bed when they arrived so they simply went into Tanya’s room, stripped down to their undergarments and crawled beneath the covers, falling asleep in minutes as they spooned contentedly.


	21. Her Favorite Italian Place

One Friday night, Steve and Olivia were hanging out at the bar; Tanya was holed away writing, knowing her publisher would be one her if she didn’t finish her novel soon. It was a busy night and Bucky didn’t have time to chat as he mixed drinks and cleaned counters, waiting desperately for last call so he could go over to Tanya’s flat to spend the night with her, drinking and making out in her bed. Olivia was telling Steve about her latest photo shoot that was planned for the next day and how she was glad it was only one.  
                “Normally, I have several commitments on the weekend. It will be nice to just have the one thing in the morning and actually have the whole day to myself. Although, Tanya will still be writing so I’m not entirely sure what I’ll do with my time.”  
                “Well, I have no plans. How about I take you to lunch at that little Italian place you love? Ceci’s?”  
                Olivia eyed him for a moment, wishing she had the self control to say no. But Steve looked so eager and she was so flattered that he remembered her favorite restaurant, she couldn’t help but say yes.  
                “Great. I will meet you there at one?”  
                “One works for me.”  
                Shortly after, Olivia realized she probably should go home and sleep since she had an early morning.  
                The next day, Olivia met Steve outside Ceci’s right at one. He led her inside and they got a small table in the back. After they ordered, Steve started asking her different things about herself, inquiring about everything from her family to her favorite desserts.     
                “You’re awfully curious today,” she noted, smiling as she shoveled a huge fork of pasta into her mouth.  
                “I just want to get to know you better. Know everything about you.”  
                “Why?” she asked, giving him a curious look.  
                “Because you’re a girl worth getting to know.”  
                Olivia couldn’t help but smile at his answer as she tried to ignore the growing feelings of affection she was beginning to feel. But Steve was being awfully sweet and had been so amazing lately at remembering all the little things she had told him about herself. Maybe he did like her after all.  
                When the check came, he insisted on paying, seeing her into a cab afterwards. As she rode home, Olivia tried to talk herself into believing she didn’t like him. But it was no use. She did like him. A lot. She still wasn’t convinced that he didn’t just like her because she reminded him of Peggy. But she was definitely becoming more open to the idea.


	22. Absinthe

For their third official date, Bucky decided to surprise Tanya, only telling her to dress nice and that he would pick her up at eight that Saturday. That night, Bucky knocked on the front door of her apartment. He was proud of his black button down shirt open just enough to reveal some chest and black dress pants; he had gone shopping since their last date. Tanya opened the door and Bucky audibly cleared his throat, his eyes glancing over the way her lace dress clung to her body, having just enough fabric underneath to keep her covered.  
“I take it that means you like it?” Tanya asked playfully  
“Yes...it’s...wow.”  
“I’ll take wow. Speaking of wow, I see you went shopping.”  
She walked over to Bucky, pulling him close with the sides of his open shirt and kissing him soundly, tongue slipping past his lips just enough to be a tease. He let out a huff of air as she released his lips, trying to regain his composure. Finally, he ushered her down to the waiting cab.  
After a thirty minute cab ride, Bucky opened her door outside a small martini bar. He led her through the darkened main area to a private room in the back. In the center was a table with six places made up of small glasses, spoons, and a few other bar tools Tanya didn’t recognize.  
“What is this?” she asked Bucky.  
“An absinthe tasting,” he replied with a devious smile.  
Tanya returned the grin as she and Bucky took two places at the table. Once the rest of the guests arrived, the taster began. For the next few hours, Bucky and Tanya sipped six different types of absinthe, blending them with sugar and water, drinking them straight, all the while munching on appetizers brought out on silver trays. Tanya noticed that the more absinthe Bucky drank the more affectionate he became. More and more, he would lean over to kiss her neck or place a hand on her lower back. And Tanya couldn’t say she objected.  
The absinthe tasting finally drew to a close and Bucky and Tanya made their way outside. A cab was hailed and the two of them slipped in the back. Immediately, Bucky gave the driver the address of her studio.  
“Why are we going to my studio?”  
“Because,” Bucky replied, sliding over to her and moving his mouth to her neck, “I need to be alone with you.”  
He continued kissing her neck the whole ride to her place, his hand sliding further and further up her thigh. By the time they arrived at her studio, Tanya was barely able to contain herself, wanting nothing more than to push him down in the back of that cab; she couldn’t wait to get inside.  
Tanya unlocked the door and they went inside. She set her purse down, trying to maintain some sense of decorum before jumping her boyfriend. Bucky had no such ideas. The moment her purse and shoes hit the floor, Bucky had her pushed against the door. He pinned her hands above her head, seizing her lips like they were providing the oxygen he was breathing. He groaned into her mouth, pressing his body against hers as his tongue lined her lips before slipping inside to become intimate with hers. Bucky released her wrists and slid his hands down her arms, to her chest, her hips, drawing a shiver from her at the combination of the cool metal and his warm fingers on her skin. Her hands free to move, she grasped his hair as he gave her one final kiss before moving his lips to her ear. In a deep voice, filled with want, he whispered,  
“I need you. Now.”  
He bit down on her ear, getting her to moan out,  
“Then take me.”  
“Take you where? Tell me...I need to hear it.”  
“Take me here, against the door.”  
Bucky grinned against her neck, sliding his hand down to reach his beneath her dress, teasing her through the fabric of her knickers that were barely there while his other hand worked on unzipping his pants. He then lifted her up against the door, her legs wrapping around his waist as he moved her knickers out of the way.


	23. Let's Take Our Time

A little while later, Bucky and Tanya were slumped against the door, both panting for breath; Bucky had his head leaned against her shoulder.  
                “Well…that was…spontaneous,” Tanya said, still breathing hard.  
                Bucky chuckled, kissing her before standing up.  
                “Yeah…guess you and I didn’t escape the three date rule after all.”           
                “There’s a three date rule?”  
                “According to Tony.”  
                Tanya stood up too, adjusting her dress.  
                “Well…I must say…you are…incredible.”  
                “That? Well…thanks…but that was just pure lustful want.”  
                “What do you mean?”  
                “I mean,” he said, coming over to her and starting to kiss her neck again from behind, “that now, we can spend the entire night getting to know each other between the sheets. We can take our time.”  
                “I think I like the sound of that,” she smiled, reaching behind her to run her fingers through his hair as he guided her over to the bed.  
                Bucky turned her around, kissing her languidly, lustfully, as he slipped his hands down to the hem of her dress. Slowly, he lifted it over her head, his hands caressing the newly-exposed skin once he tossed the garment aside. Tanya sighed and reached over, unbuttoning his shirt and pushing it over his shoulders as she captured his lips again. As they kissed, they unhurriedly undressed each other, taking the time to run their hands over the body of the other, learning each bend and line. When they were both completely naked, Bucky backed her against the bed, prompting her to lay down on it. He followed her down, kissing her romantically before moving his lips to her neck. Slowly, he made his way down her body, his lips exploring the curves his fingers had moments ago. He reached her waist, placing a gentle kiss on each hip bone before parting her legs and allowing his tongue to explore an entirely new area. Once Tanya had been satiated in this way, Bucky slid back up her body, kissing her as they proceeded to make love for the next several hours before finally falling asleep, satisfied, in each other’s arms.


	24. Stardust

The following Thursday, Steve, Bucky, and Tanya were at the bar, just hanging out. Bucky had just gotten done serving a small rush of people and was now happily chatting with Tanya, stealing kisses from her when he thought Steve wasn’t looking. Steve honestly wasn’t paying much attention to the happy couple, his attention focused mainly on the door. Olivia said she would be meeting them later and Steve knew he couldn’t put off asking her out again any longer.  
                Around nine, the door opened and Olivia walked in. Her hair was done in victory rolls and she wore a tight polka-dot dress that showed off just the right amount of cleavage; Steve couldn’t stop staring. She sat down at the bar, greeting Steve as Bucky went to make her Moscow Mule. For awhile, Steve just looked at her, smiling, trying to decide exactly how to go about things. Finally, it just came out,  
                “Olivia, will you go out with me this Saturday night? Maybe dinner and a movie?”  
                Olivia didn’t say anything at first, her brain processing what she should say. Finally, she opened her mouth,  
                “Umm…Steve…I don’t…”  
                Bucky, who had been watching this drama unfold, had had about enough and spoke up.  
                “Why are you hesitating?!” he directed towards Olivia, “We all know you like him. So just go out with man and make both of you happy.”  
                “I want to!” Olivia finally burst out, turning to Steve, “I really do. But, Steve, I’m honestly afraid that you like me because I remind you of Peggy and I don’t want you resenting me later because I’m not her. I can’t live up to that standard. And I don’t want a bad dating experience between us to ruin the wonderful friendship we have.”  
                Tanya and Bucky looked between the two of them, waiting for Steve’s reaction. Without a word, Steve stood up and Olivia was afraid he was about to walk out. Instead, he walked over to the jukebox, pushing several buttons until he found what he was looking for. The notes of “Stardust” soon filled the tiny bar and Steve extended his hand towards Olivia.  
                “Dance with me,” he requested.  
                “Why?” she replied hesitantly.  
                “Because this is your favorite song. And I know you want to.”  
                Olivia couldn’t argue and stood to take Steve’s hand. Firmly, Steve pulled her to him, holding her close to him as he brought their hands up to rest on his chest. Staring down at her, he said,  
                “Olivia, the moment you sat next to me in this bar, I knew you were special. The way you dressed, the way you presented yourself, everything about you was enchanting. And I haven’t stopped wanting to date you since that moment. Yes, there are aspects of you that remind me of Peggy. But Peggy is my past. I cared for her once but she wasn’t the girl I was meant to be with. If she was, I would be with her now. But you…you are my present…and hopefully my future. And if you give me a chance, just one date, I promise to show you all the little reasons why you are the girl I want to be with.”  
                Before Olivia had a chance to respond, Steve dipped her, causing her to gasp as he suddenly brought his face close to hers.  
                “What are you doing Steve?” she asked, distracted by his blue eyes and firm jaw being so close to her.  
                “Something I never did with Peggy.”  
                With that, Steve closed the space between them, kissing her soundly, making it clear to her he had wanted to do that since the moment they first spoke. Olivia sank into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as he stood them upright, lips still locked with hers. Finally, he released her lips, looking at her expectantly for an answer. Reeling from the kiss, Olivia opened her mouth to speak, closing it again to search for words. She tried again, opening her mouth and looking up at Steve,  
                “Okay,” she said, a huge smile crossing her face, “I’ll go out with you this Saturday.”  
                Steve beamed at her, leaning down to kiss her again as Bucky and Tanya cried in unison,  
                “Finally!”


	25. Finally a Real Date!

That Saturday, Steve arrived at Olivia’s apartment around eleven in the morning. After some discussion, they had decided dinner and a movie was too boring for their first date and decided on a day date to the New York Historical Society instead. Olivia opened the door, smiling at the single pink rose Steve held in his hand. He handed it to her, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.  
                “You look beautiful,” he said, smiling at her black pencil skirt and vintage blue blouse.  
                “Thank you. You are looking nice yourself,” she replied, taking in his khakis, t-shirt, and jacket.  
                “Ready to go?”  
                “Absolutely,” she said, grabbing her purse.  
                Steve led her down to a waiting cab and directed the driver to the museum. Once they arrived, Steve led her inside and bought their tickets. Olivia had never been to a museum like this one before and she was instantly fascinated with the various exhibitions and collections.  
                The first thing they looked at was an exhibit filled with 100 objects that defined New York. Steve smiled as he watched Olivia examine each object, taking the time to read the little plaques describing them. Sometimes he looked at an object with her, other times he just let her wander ahead, giving her space to enjoy the exhibit. But his eyes never left her. After they had spent a good hour or so looking at the first exhibit, they moved on to another one, this time about the art of Ludwig Bemelman. For most of the afternoon, they went through the museum in this fashion, enjoying the company of the other.  
                Finally, they had reached the last exhibit, one Steve looked pretty excited about. The moment he led Olivia inside, she understood why. It was an exhibit on World War II, specifically on fashion and culture. Steve reached over and laced his fingers through hers, leading into the giant room filled with displays. The remainder of the day was spent in this room, the couple holding hands and looking at each thing. Steve spent lengthy amounts of time talking about each thing, telling Olivia about personal experiences he had with many of the things. At the end, he even discovered one of his own toys, a teddy bear, had made it into the exhibit.  
                “I know it’s mine because of that black stain on the paw. I spilled ink on it as well as all over the carpet.”  
                Olivia smiled up at him, amazed that she was actually out on a date with this adorable man. Eventually, they had exhausted the whole museum and knew it was time to go. Not ready to head home yet, Steve led Olivia over to Caffe Storico, right next to the museum. It was a little Italian place and Steve ordered them a nice bottle of wine to share over dinner. Once they ordered, the two sat chatting, learning more about each other as they searched for topics they hadn’t already covered. Finally, they both knew it was time to go home. Steve hailed them a cab and they rode back to her apartment. Hand in hand, Steve walked her directly to her front door.  
                “I had a wonderful time today,” he said, “I’m really glad you decided to give me a chance.”  
                “Well, how could I say no when you ask me out during my favorite song?”  
                Steve smiled at her, brushing a piece of hair out of her face. Then, without hesitating, he placed his finger under her chin, tilting her face up and lowering his lips to hers. Olivia sighed into the kiss as he slid his hand up behind her head, deepening the kiss and controlling the way her mouth moved over his. Sliding her hands up his solid chest, she briefly slid her tongue past his lips before breaking the kiss.  
                “Thank you for a wonderful day Steve.”  
                “You’re welcome. Would you be up for going out with me again? Say sometime next week?”  
                “I would love nothing more.”  
                Steve answered her with a smile, taking the time to kiss her once more before making a motion to leave. Olivia unlocked her front door, saying over her shoulder as Steve disappeared down the hall,  
                “Goodnight Steve.”  
                “Goodnight Olivia,” he called back, the grin consuming his face.  
                Olivia went inside, a smile equally as big on her face. Bucky and Tanya were on the couch, clearly caught in the middle of an intense make out. Olivia looked at them, her mind clearly still on Steve. Bucky, not needing anymore prompting, kissed Tanya one last time before making his exit, leaving the girls to gossip about Olivia’s date.


	26. Sergeant Barnes

Tanya walked up the stairs to her studio; she was almost finished with her novel and needed to just sit down and finish it. However, those plans immediately fell by the wayside when she unlocked the door only to find Bucky standing there, donning his military uniform.  
                “Bucky…wow…”Tanya began, more turned on than she cared to admit.  
                “It’s Sergeant Barnes, private, and you will address me as such.”  
                Tanya gave him a confused smile, not sure what exactly he was doing.  
                “What?”  
                “Tonight, it’s Sergeant Barnes.”  
                “Okay, Sergeant Barnes.”  
                Bucky walked over to her, his face serious as he tried to hide the mischievous smile in his eyes.  
                “Now, private, I was looking through your…collection…over there…and I noticed a particular theme. Up until now, I have been quite gentle with you. But tonight, I thought, perhaps, you might enjoy something a bit different. Are these terms agreeable?”  
                “Yes sir,” Tanya said, unable to hide the smile on her face.  
                “Alright, first, I need you to remove all your clothes…slowly.”  
                Still smiling, Tanya began sensually pulling her green top off, tossing it casually to the side before reaching behind her and unzipping her black, leather skirt. She stepped out of it and kicked it aside. Next, she unhooked her bra, tossing it away, blushing at the hungry way Bucky was looking at her. Finally, she slid off her knickers, taking a brief second to glance at the front of his uniform pants, which were already getting tighter. Now completely undressed, Tanya stood in the living room, waiting for what she was supposed to do next. Bucky walked over to her, circling her as he looked her up and down. Her blush deepened as she could practically read his dirty thoughts on his face. She glanced at the front of his pants again, noticing this role-play was turning him on as much as it was her.  
                Bucky finally stopped circling her and walked up to her, his face centimeters from her.  
                “Now,” he said, his voice deep, “kiss me.”  
                He brought his lips to hers as she kissed him feverishly. As his tongue plundered her mouth, she reached her hands up to glide along the fabric of his uniform. But Bucky grabbed her hands, putting them down at her sides and holding them there as he pressed his body against hers. Tanya groaned at the feeling of the rough fabric against her skin. Soon, Bucky released her hands to tangle his fingers roughly in her hair. Instinctively, Tanya reached up to grab the edges of his top to pull him closer. But suddenly her hands were at her sides again and his lips left hers, leaving her whimpering at the loss.  
                “Since you insist, private, on not keeping your hands to yourself as you were directed to, I’m afraid I must restrain you. Lay on the bed and put your hands above your head.”  
                Tanya did as she was told, eyes widening as she watched Bucky remove his leather belt and walk over to her. Leaning over her, he tied her hands together, attaching them to the headboard while he smirked down at her.  
                “Now,” he continued, beginning to trace a finger over her chest, “let’s see how long you can keep silent while I inspect every inch of your body.”  
                Bucky’s hands began wandering all over her body, lingering on her most sensitive spots and teasing her mercilessly. Tanya bit her lip, trying to keep the noises she so desperately wanted to make to herself. But all control was lost as Bucky slid his metal arm down past her stomach.  
                “James…please...have mercy...at least remove your clothes or something”  
                “It’s Sergeant Barnes,” he said firmly, still unable to hide the smile in his eyes or the excitement pressing against his trousers, “but since you have been so well behaved, I guess I can grant this one request.”  
                Bucky then moved away from the bed, looking her straight in the eye as he began to take off his uniform. Layer by layer, he revealed more to Tanya, making her want him even more. Eventually, he was as naked as she and finally went to join her on the bed. He lay himself on top of her, hands caressing her chest as he kissed her fervidly. Reaching his hand up, he gripped her hair, yanking on it as his lips attacked her neck. She gasped, moaning at the feeling of his teeth against her skin. Sliding up to look her in the eye, Bucky brought his metal arm up to her throat. He applied a slight bit of pressure, smiling, as Tanya’s pupils dilated even wider; she was more turned on than she had ever been and wanted him right then. But suddenly his face went pale and he removed his arm. He searched her face, looking for something she wasn’t sure of. Suddenly, it hit her,  
                “James,” she said softly, “it’s okay. You can do that. You’re not hurting me, I promise. I trust you.”  
                “You’re sure?” he asked softly, looking at her lovingly.  
                “I promise. In fact, it was really turning me on,” she told him a smirk returning to her face.  
                Bucky just smiled at her, back to his mischievous self. He brought his hand back up to her throat, leaning down to kiss her with renewed passion, devouring her mouth as she arched her hips against him to grind against him. He groaned loudly into her mouth before biting her lip roughly. They locked eyes for a moment before Bucky finally gave into the sexual tension that had been building all night.


	27. A Shared Experience

Before long, Steve and Olivia were on their fourth date. Steve wanted to do something special so he planned a fancy evening out which included a Broadway show and a wine bar. Around six on a Saturday night, Steve knocked on the door of the apartment. She opened the door and suddenly Steve was breathless, gazing at how beautiful she looked in her midnight blue dress. She smiled at him, her hand behind her neck, fiddling with the clasp of her pearl necklace.  
                “Here,” Steve offered, “let me help you with that.  
                She turned around and Steve attached the necklace around her neck, placing a kiss on her shoulder as she turned back to face him. Leaning up, she kissed him soundly on the lips before going to put on her shoes.  
                “You ready to go?” she asked, beaming at him.  
                “Absolutely,” he replied, extending his elbow to her.  
                She laced her arm through his and walked down with him to the waiting cab. A short ride later, they were arriving outside the theater. Steve went and picked up their tickets from will call, leading them inside where an usher helped them find their seats; they were front row.  
                “Steve, this is wonderful!” Olivia exclaimed, “How did you manage front row tickets to Cinderella?”  
                “I have a few connections,” he said mysteriously, leaning down to place a kiss in her hair as he entwined his fingers in hers.  
                The show wasn’t starting for a few minutes so the couple sat chatting. The whole conversation Steve couldn’t take his eyes off her; she was so beautiful and amazing. For the rest of his life, he would wonder what he did to deserve a girl so wonderful. Finally, the show started and the couple turned to face the front. But even through the performance, Steve found his gaze wandering back to her, watching her reaction to the show and occasionally casting a loving glance his way.  
                After the show, which was unbelievable, Olivia and Steve made their way over to a near-by wine bar. For the next few hours, they sat sipping several glasses of wine, munching on appetizers, and just enjoying the company of the other. Although they had a rocky start, things were perfect between them now. They never got tired of each other and they could talk for hours without running out of things to say. It was wonderful.  
                When Olivia was good and relaxed from the wine, Steve decided they should head back to the apartment; he wanted some time alone with her, away from the crowd. They got in the cab and Olivia leaned her head against his shoulder, smiling up at him.  
                “Steve,” she said, “I love you.”  
                It was an abrupt thing to say and neither of them had said it before but Olivia found herself unable to keep the sentiment inside anymore. She had been thinking about it for days and knew she had to tell him. A bit anxiously, she waited to see his reaction.  
                “Olivia, I love you too. More than you’ll ever know.  
                Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers, the taste of their wine mingling together as, languidly, he demonstrated his love through the kiss. The two continued exchanging kisses until the cab pulled up in front of Olivia’s apartment building. They got out of the cab and walked up the stairs, Steve’s hand resting lightly on her lower back. The place was empty when they got inside; Tanya must have been out with Bucky.       
After a few more shared kisses in the doorway, Olivia moved to the kitchen to pour them a nightcap. But soon, she felt Steve’s strong hands slip around her waist as his lips began pressing kisses into her neck. Olivia sighed, placing her hands over Steve’s and leaning her head back to give him easier access to her skin.  
                “Steve, that is quite distracting, you know,” she said.  
                “Forget the drink,” he whispered, “I just want you right now.”  
                Steve continued kissing her neck, his fingers sliding up the back of her dress. Slowly, he began moving the zipper lower, hands running over the skin he exposed. But suddenly he stopped and moved across to the other side of the kitchen. Olivia turned around, giving him a confused look.  
                “Why’d you stop? Is something wrong?” she asked, going over to place her hand on his shoulder.  
                Steve looked at her nervously, like he had something to say but couldn’t find the right words. Finally, he confessed.  
                “Olivia, I’ve never done…it…before. And I know that right now, that is where this is leading. At least I hope it is…perhaps that was presumptuous of me. But, at least for me, I really want to take you to bed tonight and…make love to you…but I’m nervous because I have so little experience and you have…not to say you have slept with a lot of men…but…you’ve had boyfriends before…and…well…you’re my first girlfriend. I guess I’m just scared you’ll compare me to them and…well…that I won’t measure up.”  
                Olivia shook her head at the insecure man standing in front of her. She directed his gaze to stare directly in her eyes.  
                “Steve…I’ve never slept with anyone either.”  
                “You…you haven’t?”  
                “No. Yes, I have had boyfriends but that is something I never did with them. I was saving it for someone special,” she said with a devious smile.  
                “Oh,” he replied, sounding gravely disappointed.  
                Once again, Olivia shook her head at him.  
                “Steve…I’m talking about you. You’re the someone special I want to share this with.”  
                He gazed at her for a moment, speechless and so flattered that she cared for him that much. Then, without a word, he wrapped his arms firmly around her, drawing her against his chest as he kissed her with all the love and affection he could muster.  
                “Then,” he said, kissing her neck again, “perhaps we should take this to the bedroom?”  
                Olivia nodded and Steve took her hand, leading her to her room. Once inside, he kissed her again, his hands moving back to the zipper. He slid it down and guided the dress down her shoulders, letting it fall on the floor with a whoosh of fabric. For a moment, he just stared at her, taking in her beautiful curves, still shocked that she wanted to be with him. Olivia smiled, reaching out for her his hands and guiding them back to the clasp of her bra. Getting the message, he unhooked it as she began undoing his buttons. As she worked on his pants, his fingers caressed her chest, getting a moan from her as she pushed his pants and boxers off. He still had his eyes fixed on her as she slid her knickers off before pulling back the covers and slipping between them. She gave a huge smile to Steve, gesturing for him to join her. He slid between the sheets with her, capturing her lips as he ran his hands lustfully over her body, his natural instincts kicking in. As their kissing grew in passion, he slid his hand down her back, purposefully teasing the spot on her spine that drove her crazy, causing her to gasp and arch into him. He groaned as he felt her grind against him, his excitement growing against her thigh. Soon, he rolled on top of her, looking down at her. For a moment, they just locked eyes, communicating silent messages of how much they loved each other before Steve leaned down to kiss her once again, initiating a special night they would never forget.


	28. The Ex

One night, Bucky and Tanya were walking down the street, just heading home from a night out. Suddenly, Tanya turned the opposite direction from the way they were going.  
                “Why don’t we go…this way?” she asked, trying to walk past Bucky.  
                He reached out with his metal arm, stopping her progress.  
                “Why? What’s wrong with this way?”  
                “Nothing.”  
                Bucky just gave her a look, prompting her with his eyes to tell the truth.  
                “Fine…see that guy up there? With the spiky blonde hair and popped collar?”  
                “Yeah, I see the tool. What about him?”  
                “Well, he’s kind of my ex-boyfriend.”  
                “Kind of your ex?”  
                “Yeah…remember when I told you I had kind of had a boyfriend…that’s him.”  
                “I don’t understand.”  
                Tanya led Bucky over to a bench, sitting him down. She knew it could be a lengthy conversation but it was time she told him about Johnny.  
                “So, I met Johnny when I was 20. We were inseparable for a whole semester and I just kind of thought we were dating. Well I came back from winter break only to discover he was now dating some high school girl…this slutty, blonde bimbo. They had actually been dating for awhile and, in fact, their first date was on my birthday which explained why he didn’t come over until almost midnight that night. Anyway, she ended up cheating on him, as everyone knew she would, and he came running back to me. Now, I’m a big believer in second chances so I forgave him and we started dating again. But this process repeated four more times. I don’t honestly know why I kept forgiving him. I just had this stupid belief in my head that he really did want to be with me and wouldn’t do it again. Anyway, the last time we dated, it seemed pretty serious. Or at least it did to me. I mean, he never used the word girlfriend and he didn’t really acknowledge we were going out in public but he seemed serious in private and I let that be enough for me, the biggest mistake of my life. Well, he started talking marriage and I fell for it hook, line and sinker. We slept together, my first time, obviously, and I thought everything was perfect. Until he dumped me two months later. Turns out, I learned from his roommate, he had been bringing home different girls every night. I was just a goal, one that he finally achieved. I know it is a pretty typical story and I didn’t let it stop me from hoping for a relationship. But after twelve further rejections from men and not a single date…well…it is kind of hard to tell yourself the problem isn’t you. I’m not sure I ever really got over that first rejection. And I sometimes wonder if there was even a little part of him that loved me and, if so, what I did to drive him away. Guess those questions always stay with you. Anyway, I guess the reason I told you all this is that…I guess I felt you needed to know that sometimes I can be difficult and insecure…and…if you ever get sick of me or find someone else…you can be with them…it’s okay. I get it. Just…please don’t lie to me about it.”  
                Tears had started forming in her eyes as years of built up self-esteem and abandonment issues bubbled to the surface. It happened every time she saw her ex and she was embarrassed Bucky had to see her that way…but he needed to know anyway. Tanya continued looking down at her lap, afraid to see her boyfriend’s reaction now that he had seen her biggest issues. But suddenly a finger was on her chin as Bucky lifted her face. Tanya noticed a slight moisture in his own eyes right before he brought his lips down on hers. He kissed her in a way he never had before, stealing her very breath with its intensity. His hand went behind her head, holding her to him as if he never planned on letting her go. Her heart was racing and she wrapped her hands behind his neck, keeping his mouth on hers as long as she could before her lungs screamed for oxygen. When they finally broke apart, Bucky just stared into her eyes for a moment before he finally said,  
                “Tanya…I…I love you more than life itself. When you met me, I was completely alone in this world except for Steve.  I didn’t have any hope of friends and I definitely didn’t ever believe that a girl would fall in love with me…much less a girl as intelligent and beautiful and accepting as you. You gave me the second chance only one other person has given me. It breaks my heart that you can’t see how amazing you are but I plan on spending the rest of my life showing you how wonderful you are. If you let me. There will never be anyone else. There is only you.”  
                Tanya had started crying at this point but Bucky stopped her tears with another kiss. He wiped way her tears and the two of them stood up. Bucky then glanced down the street at where Johnny was still standing, trying to flirt with some go-go dancer he had clearly just met at the club. A dark look crossed his face as he took Tanya’s hand. Without a word, he led her over to where Johnny was. The pretentious tool looked at Tanya but before he could say anything to her, Bucky punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground as blood started dripping from his nose. Bucky leaned down, getting in Johnny’s face and lowering his voice to an angry growl,  
                “Listen you pretentious prick…Tanya is the best girl any man could be with and if you ever hurt any girl the way you hurt her, I promise I will find you.”  
                Bucky then stood up, wrapping his arm around Tanya’s waist as they continued down the street. Tanya looked back at the dazed boy laying on the sidewalk, holding a hand to his bleeding nose as a few people stood around, staring. Smiling, she turned back around, leaning her head on Bucky’s shoulder.  
                “Thank you,” she whispered.  
                “Anything for you, doll,” he responded, kissing the top of her head as they continued on home.


	29. Drunken Escapades

       The following Friday, both couples were hanging out at the bar. It was an unusually dead night for some reason; even the drunk had called it an early night. The owner had left Bucky in charge so they were the only ones in there. Around midnight, Bucky decided to call it and closed down the place. He locked the door and suddenly turned around excitedly, looking at the group.  
                “Oh no,” Tanya said, “I know that look. What are you plotting?”  
                “Nothing…I was just thinking…there’s no need for us to go home or anything. Why don’t we just hang out here?”  
                “Just hang out?” Tanya asked suspiciously.  
                “Okay…and maybe play a drinking game?”  
                Bucky looked at the group eagerly, waiting for someone to second his idea.  
                “I’m game,” Steve said, taking a moment to kiss Olivia, “What kind of game were you thinking?”  
                “How about you and me versus the girls in a few games of pool? Whenever someone sinks a shot…the other team has to take a shot.”  
                The girls exchanged a look, knowing they would probably regret this decision, before agreeing to the game. Bucky went over to the pool table, racking the balls. Steve broke first, sinking three shots right away.  
                “Alright,” Bucky said, grinning as he walked to the bar, “three shots each, ladies.”  
                He poured them each a shot of whiskey and they took their shots in quick succession.  
                “Fine,” Tanya said, downing the last of hers, “but those are the last ones you guys are going to get. Prepare to lose.”  
                Bucky just smiled at his girlfriend, kissing her soundly before returning to the pool table.  
                As it turned out, those were not the last shots the girls took. In fact, they were both awful at pool and ended up quite drunk by the end. They did get a few balls in though and had the boys taking shots as well. Bucky, wanting to catch up with his girlfriend, downed several shots at once, making him equally drunk. Around the third game, the playing had pretty much faded off as Bucky and Tanya kept being distracted with kisses, her sitting in his lap as he constantly turned her face to his. Olivia had gone giggly, peppering Steve’s face and neck with kisses of her own, and stumbling as she made her way to the bathroom; Steve was the only one not affected, of course.  
                When Bucky and Tanya’s affections turned to full-blown making out, hands wandering and everything, Steve decided it was probably time they called it a night. Bucky separated from Tanya’s face long enough to finish cleaning and putting stuff away, before wrapping his arms around his girlfriend from behind, kissing and biting her neck as he led her outside to hail a cab.  
                “Well,” Steve said to Olivia, “guess we know where they’re headed.”  
                “Yep,” Olivia replied, giggling and stumbling up to Steve.  
                “You know,” she began, running a hand up his chest, “you and I could go back to my place and do some things ourselves.”  
                Olivia stood on her toes, kissing his neck and playing with his hair.  
                “Okay, okay,” he replied, beaming down at her, “you are adorable when you’re drunk, you know that?”  
                “And you…are always…sexy.”  
                Steve put his arm around her waist, steadying her as he led her outside and hailed a cab. Unable to resist her, Steve leaned over and kissed her, initiating a make out session that lasted until they pulled up in front of her building. They got out of the cab and Steve led her inside. He was just about to lean down to kiss her again when he noticed an odd look on her face.  
                “Are you okay?” he asked.  
                “Um…” she said, “excuse me for a moment.”  
                Olivia then made a beeline for the bathroom, a concerned Steve following after. Running inside, Olivia proceeded to throw up all the alcohol she had consumed earlier.  
                “Honey,” he said, voice full of worry.  
                He kneeled down beside her, holding her hair back as she continued getting sick, one hand rubbing her back. Eventually, she stopped throwing up and slumped back, exhausted. Steve picked her up and carried her to bed.  
                “You just get some sleep,” he said, leaning down and kissing the side of her head.  
                Once she was settled between the covers, Steve went out to grab her some things. He put a trash can by her bed and a glass of water on the nightstand. After turning out the lights and locking up, he joined her in the bed, rolling over to her and rubbing her back. When he heard her breathing even out, he knew she was asleep and fell asleep himself, his hand still on her back.


	30. Steve Tries Something New

One night, Steve and Olivia were in her apartment. They had just finished watching a movie that had really just led to them making out. Steve had just gotten her to the bedroom, his hands roaming her body eagerly as she slid his t-shirt over his head. Her fingers traced the defined muscles of his chest and abs while he took her dress off over her head. Kissing down her neck, he slid his fingers down to draw patterns on her spine, causing her to breathe heavily as she removed his pants, tugging on his hair once she got them off. When Olivia was about to come undone, Steve backed away from her for a moment.  
                “So,” he began, suddenly looking at her hesitantly, “oh…never mind.”  
                He moved back towards her to begin kissing her again but she stopped him.  
                “No,” she chastised, “you have that look on your face you always get when you want to ask me about something you heard about but are afraid I’ll judge you for not knowing it.”  
                “Well,” Steve began, “Tony mentioned this thing the other day and…well..I was kind of wondering if we could try it out?”  
                “What kind of thing?”  
                “Bondage?”  
                “You want to tie me up?”  
                Steve nodded, looking embarrassed but somewhat eager. Olivia walked over to him, kissing him deeply,  
                “We can definitely do that.”  
                His excitement growing, Steve kissed her over to the bed, getting her to lay down on it. He first removed her bra, taking many long moments to run his tongue over the exposed cleavage. Still kissing her, Steve reached over to the dresser where one of Olivia’s long scarves was laying. Gently, he brought her hands up her head, tying them together before tying the scarf to the headboard. He released her lips and looked down at her for a moment.  
                “Is this okay?” he asked.  
                “Absolutely. I trust you Steve, completely.”  
                He leaned down to kiss her once again before his lips began travelling down her body. He reached her neck and slipped a hand beneath her, playing and teasing her spot as he sucked a dark mark into her skin. Her breathing grew heavier as he continued lower, running his tongue over all her most sensitive areas. Getting to her hips, he kissed along the waistband of her knickers, occasionally delving his tongue beneath the fabric, driving her crazy. Wanting to touch him, Olivia moaned and strained against the scarf. Smiling up at her, Steve slowly slid her knickers off her, using his tongue lower until she begged him to satisfy her desires, promising to reward him generously if he did.


	31. Back to the Beginning

Several nights later, Bucky and Tanya were at the bar. It was an incredibly busy Saturday night and Tanya was graciously helping her boyfriend out by clearing tables and taking orders. Throughout the night, the couple had been working hard to seduce each other, touching the other as they passed, leaning in close when they could. At one point, Bucky even placed his hand on Tanya’s ass, running his hand suggestively up it as she grabbed drinks from the bar.  
Finally, the place cleared out, leaving only Tanya, Bucky, Jim, and the drunk. Tanya was seated on a bar stool, Bucky having placed himself between her parted legs, chatting with her as he looked at her like he was ready to devour her the moment they got home. As his hand slid up her thigh, the drunk finally stood from his stool,  
“Oh would you two just fuck already?”  
Tanya and Bucky looked at the old man, grey hair perfectly in place while his darkened glasses slipped down his face a bit.  
“Excuse me?” Tanya asked.  
“You two have been all over each other all night. Makes me uncomfortable. Can’t even finish my damn drink. So, here, Jim and I will go next door. You kids do what you need to do and we will be back later...much later.”  
The man stood from his stool, gesturing for the owner to follow him to the next bar over. Jim shrugged and followed the short man out the door. Bucky just looked at Tanya in shock.  
“Did they just...?”  
“Yeah, I think they did.”  
“Huh.”  
“Remember when you told me opportunities like this never actually happen?”  
“I guess I take it back. Well, since we have the place to ourselves...”  
Bucky pulled Tanya off her stool, wrapping his arms around her as he kissed her deeply, the hunger built up over the night expressing itself as he slid his hand down her dress, lifting the bottom and teasing her through the fabric of her knickers. Abruptly, he turned her around, bending her over the bar as he dropped the small undergarment to the floor. While his metal arm fumbled to undo his pants, he brought his other hand swiftly down on her ass, drawing a yelp from her as he ran his fingers over the spot to soothe the pain. His pants out of the way, Bucky leaned over his girlfriend, pressing her to the bar and pinning her arms against the wood.  
“God, I love you,” he murmured into her neck.  
And with a nip to her ear, which earned him a loud moan, Bucky helped Tanya live out the bartender scene from her book that had started everything in the first place.


End file.
